LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is a synthetic
(man-made) drug that has been abused for its hallucinogenic properties
since the 1960s. If consumed in a sufficiently large dose, LSD
produces delusions and visual hallucinations that distort the user's
sense of time and identity.

Individuals of all ages use LSD. Data reported in the
National Household Survey on Drug Abuse indicate that an estimated
20.2 million U.S. residents aged 12 and older used LSD at least once
in their lifetime. The survey also revealed that many teenagers and
young adults use LSD--742,000 individuals aged 12 to 17 and 4.5
million individuals aged 18 to 25 used the drug at least once.

LSD use among high school students is a particular
concern. More than 8 percent of high school seniors in the United
States used the drug at least once in their lifetime, and nearly 4
percent used the drug in the past year, according to the University of
Michigan's Monitoring the Future Survey.

The effects associated with LSD use are unpredictable
and depend upon the amount taken, the surroundings in which the drug
is used, and the user's personality, mood, and expectations. Some LSD
users experience a feeling of despair, while others report terrifying
fears--of losing control, going insane, or dying. Some users have
suffered fatal accidents while under the influence of LSD.

LSD users often have flashbacks, during which certain
aspects of their LSD experience recur even though they have stopped
taking the drug. In addition, LSD users may develop long-lasting
psychoses, such as schizophrenia or severe depression.

LSD is not considered an addictive drug--that is, it
does not produce compulsive drug-seeking behavior as cocaine, heroin,
and methamphetamine do. However, LSD users may develop tolerance to
the drug, meaning that they must consume progressively larger doses of
the drug in order to continue to experience the hallucinogenic effects
that they seek.

Yes, LSD is illegal. LSD is a Schedule I
substance under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I drugs, which
include heroin and MDMA, have a high potential for abuse and serve no
legitimate medical purpose.